Anyone who has done Pilates has some favorite (and “unfavorite”) exercises. An instructor can tell what turns clients on—they emit excited murmurs and get into position quickly; and what turns them off—those resigned sighs and hesitation. At my studio, Leg Circles are a favorite move. Most of my clients love to do them and say they feel good on their back, legs and hips.
As far as Reformer moves go, Leg Circles appear to be easy, and I think most of our clients think they are. But are they doing them correctly?
I’m afraid that all too often this move is done on a large and out-of-control scale, and when that happens, the exercise loses its quality and benefits. In my studio, we focus on form above all else, and we make sure the client understands the move and why we are doing it (and why we do it almost every class), what the range of motion should be, and why that’s important. After all, just because you can make really big circles doesn’t mean you should.
First of all, make sure your client understands pelvic and spinal neutral (check my previous blogs for details on spinal neutral), and has mastered those positions.
For the setup, set the Reformer on two to three springs, and lay face up on the Reformer with a neutral pelvis, wrapping the ribs around the spine. Place the loops on the arches of the feet and extend the legs straight out at an angle where neutral pelvis can be maintained. Abduct (open) the legs about carriage width, with external rotation coming from the hips. As the legs circle up, rotate from the hips, bringing them back to neutral.
Clients should do about eight of these Leg Circles, and then switch directions. Make sure your clients master the breathing as well. They should inhale as the carriage moves away and exhale when it comes in. Also, make sure their pelvis remains in neutral throughout the move.
As I tell my clients, just because you can go bigger doesn’t mean you should. By allowing them to do really big circles they will have a tendency to loose stability, so don’t let them get caught up in showing off or pumping up their ego. Help your clients remain authentic to Pilates.
See you soon!
